Caterpillar announces stock dividend

Caterpillar’s board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of 42 cents per share of common stock, payable Feb. 20 to those stockholders of record at the close of business Jan. 20.

“The economic crisis of the last year has been unprecedented, but Caterpillar’s focus on preparing for a recession, dating back to the strategy we rolled out in 2005, has served us well,” chairman and chief executive officer Jim Owens said in a statement. “We’re making tough decisions required to come out of this downturn as a stronger company.